Process of extracting values from ores.



W. F. BLEECKER.

PROGESS 0F EXTRAGTING VALUES PROM CRBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1912.

LGSQS@ Y Patented July 29,1913.

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WEN. r..UBLEECKEB,. or CaNoNsBUne, PENNSYLVANIA, ssIeNoa ro THE sesam CHEMICAL COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, rnNNsYLvANIA.

assenso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .any- 29, 1913.

Application mea may e4, ma. serian No. 699.595.

To aZl lw/tom. t may concern: r.

Be it known that l, WARREN F. BLEEGKER" a resident of Canonsburg, in the county o Valashington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Processes of Extracting Values from Gres; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- A pertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in processes for the treatment of ores, and more particularly to a process for extracting val` ues from carnotite ores,-the object of my present invention being to provide a process for producing separate solutions predominating, respectively, in uranium, radium, and-vanadium, and to so treat the ore that the amount of vanadium inthe uranium and radium solutions shall be reduced to a minimum, and so that practically, the 4entire va.` nadium content yof the ore shall be contained in a separate solution.

A further object is to treat carnotite ores in such manner as to enhance the solubility of the radium salts.

1With these and other objects'in view, the invention consists in certain novel steps in the process of extracting values from ores, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanyingl drawing, my improved process is illustrated diagrammatically.

In carrying my improved process into effeet, l proceed substantially as-follows:- The ore (carnotite ore for example) is rst reduced to a comminuted condition in any suitable manner. The comminuted ore is irst treated with a solution of an alkaline hydroxid and, if desired, an alkaline carbonate may be added to this solution. For example, sodium hydroxid and sodium carbonate may be used,in which event, the resulting liquid product (which is Withdrawn) Will be a solution of sodium vanadate of the type Na2(V)X(VO2)y, from which the vanadium may be recovered by any approved process. The ore Will then be neutralized with a suitable acid. The use of sulfuric acid Willpreferably be avoided at this stage of the process, because it would` tend to render insoluble, the radium\ content of the ore. The ore Will next be leached with a solution of an alkaline carbonate (such as sodium carbonateLT-the teinperature of such solution preferablynot exceeding 90 C. This treatment will dissolve the uranium content of the ore (ormin sodium uranyl carbonatefi-(NaeCOQTU 2G03, and as a portion of the vanadium Content had been removed by the first treatment hereinbefore described, and as alkaline carbonate decomposes uranium mineral and only a small quantity of vanadium mineral, the resultant solution .of the treatment with hotalkaline'solution, will be very low in vanadium. This solution can be subsequently treated by any approvedfprocess for the recovery of uranium.

Thetirst treatment of the ore with sodium hydroxid br a mixture of sodium hydroxid and sodium carbonate renders the ore low in vanadium before said ore is subjected to the' ,leaching with' hot sodium carbonate, and

these two treatments also serve another important oce in rendering soluble the radium content of carnotite ores, the alkaline carbonate decomposing the radium bariumv sulfates 1n the ore formlng radium barium I ores `contain barium and sulfuric acid in l quantities proportional to the formula `:For

sodium sulfate may then be Washed out.

These results are attainedby the treatment herein described. The ore will next be Washed to free it from soluble carbonates and also sulfates originating from the 'radium barium sulfates above. mentioned. The resultant solution will contain alkaline uranyl carbonate of the type (Na2C03)2.UO2CO3,' and alkaline vanadate of the type This solution Will be Withdrawn and may be subsequently treated by any approved process to recover the values. The ore will next be leached with an acid other than sulfuric and then Washed with water. Any

suitable acid may be used in this step of the process and it may be either hot or cold. Good results ma be obtained with the use of an 8% solutlon of hydrochloric or nitric acid. 'Ihis treatment of the ore dissolves the radium content of the ore as radium barium chlorid, (RaBaClz), and

the resultant solution may be subsequentlyv treated in any approved manner to recover the radium. The ore may be finally leached with sulfuric acid (preferably a 10% solution) to dissolve any vanadium (as rana-dy'l sulfate) remaining in the ore. The vanadium solution thus obtained may, if desired, be subsequently treated to recover the vanadium. f

In the diagrammatical illustration of th process, shown in the drawing, the various steps'of the process are indicated by the reference characters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, it; z', j, and the products of the steps involving chemical action are also indicated.

Having fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described process of extracting values from carnotite ores, consist-ing in reducing the ore to a comminuted condition, treating the ore to decompose the barium sulfate, washin the ore to remove the sulfate, leaching t e ore with acid to dissolve the radium content of the ore, and recovering a solution of radium salts.

2. The herein described process of extracting values from carnotite ores, consisting in reducing the ore to a comminuted condition, treating the ore with a solution containing alkaline hydroxid, recovering the resultant alkaline vanadate solution, neutralizing the ore with acid other than sulfuric acid, treating the ore with a heated alkaline carbonate,

land recovering a solution of uranium, washing the ore, and leachin lthe ore with an acid and recovering a ra ium solution.

3. The herein described process of extracting values from carnotite ores, consisting in reducing theore to a comminuted condition, treating the ore with a solution containing alkaline hydroxid, recovering the resultant alkaline vanadate solution, treating the ore withY a heated alkaline carbonate, and recovering a solution of uranium, washing the ore, and leaching the ore with an acid and recovering a radium solution.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WARREN F. BLEECKER.

Witnesses:

Jos. A. KELLY, HAnRY A.V KRAELING.- 

